


Vacant Light

by Thrandunt (orphan_account)



Category: Wynonna Earp (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angels and Demons, Angst, F/F, Fluff, Guardian Angels, Heaven & Hell, Hurt/Comfort, Revenants, Seraphim, Supernatural Elements, Unconditional Love, maybe later smut? maybe?
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-28
Updated: 2017-09-28
Packaged: 2018-11-18 08:00:18
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,016
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11287029
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/Thrandunt
Summary: And as the light spills forth from Nicole's mouth, Waverly can almost feel the world shatter.





	1. and from on high

**Author's Note:**

> Well. It's been a hot minute since I've written anything, so please forgive me if I'm a bit rusty. This idea has been brewing in my head ever since episode 8 of season 1, and I'm so happy I'm finally getting to share it with you all! Enjoy!

 

Waverly doesn't ask about the ring. 

It's not so much that she's afraid Nicole won't tell her about it; she's fairly certain she would if she directly asked. But everytime Waverly even lightly mentions it, Nicole diverts her gaze, her tone of voice becoming softer.

She's sure it's nothing. Of  _course_  it's nothing. She trusts that if it were a serious issue Nicole would bring it up with her.

And yet Waverly can't help but feel a flicker of doubt. No matter where they are together, the jade band seems to taunt her. When Nicole takes her on patrol with her, it rests easily on her right ring finger, glinting against the steering wheel. In the latest hours of the night, when the deputy's lips caress down her throat, she can feel it's cool sting pressed against her arm. Even now, as Nicole threads their fingers together and takes her hand, it scrapes gently at the base of her knuckles, resting alongside the the blue stone ring Waverly bought her so many months ago.

"So, I was thinking after my shift tonight I could take you out to that restaurant downtown I was telling you about?"

And as soon as those warm, brown eyes meet her own, any inhibitions she has are gone.  _Screw it_ , Waverly thinks. It doesn't matter. Whatever story lies behind the green band, it's heavy enough to make  _Nicole_ , the most honest and straightforward person she knows, tentative about telling her. Let the deputy have her secret; if anything, she damn well deserves a sliver of privacy. 

"Sounds wonderful, baby."

* * *

Nicole's breath clouds in the air as she jogs down the steps outside of the police department. She shivers, briefly glancing up at the overcast sky before unlocking her squad car. 

 _I have to tell her tonight._  

The engine spurts to life and the heat springs on, gradually beginning to warm the interior. The steering wheel is numbingly cold beneath her touch, and she drums her fingers against it, uncertainty beginning to claw at her stomach. She shivers again, a tingle running down her shoulder blades, and puts the car into reverse.

Waverly is waiting for her at the front of the building, hands shoved deep into her coat pockets and nose tucked cutely under her scarf. As soon as the tires crunch to a halt, she perks up and makes a beeline for the passengers side.

"Have I ever told you how wonderful you are for braving the elements?" Waverly sighs in contentment, removing her earmuffs and gloves before fastening her seat belt. 

Nicole bites her lip, barely containing a smile as her girlfriend melts into her seat. 

"It's not even snowing yet. But yes, I suppose you could mention it more often. This car doesn't warm itself up," she laughs softly.

_This is Waverly. She knows what she means to me. She'll understand._

* * *

They drive to a secluded part of downtown Purgatory, where the beige haze of buildings begins to fade into concrete and brick frameworks and the light pollution thins. 

Nicole parks parallel against the curb, fitting the car snugly in between two others.  

"You know I can't say I've ever been this edge of Purgatory," Waverly remarks, bundling her coat around her. 

Nicole smiles, locking the the vehicle. "Neither have I. Buuut, I may have heard a thing or two around the station." She leans in close to Waverly's ear, pressing a kiss to her temple. "About hidden gems like this."

Waverly bites her lip, a grin splitting across her face. She takes the other woman's hand, linking their fingers together, and they quickly cross the street. 

Nicole leads her down a few buildings until they come to a small, concrete stairwell nestled between an iron railing and an establishment that looks about as old as Purgatory itself. 

Waverly tilts her head, looking down steps with interest. "I never would have guessed this was here."

"Like I said, a hidden gem."

* * *

The restaurant isn't fancy, just a bar and grill. According to their waiter, the place was once a speakeasy during the 1920's, but after being passed down through a couple generations it was renovated into an underground restaurant- at least, for those who could find it. 

Waverly is absolutely _thrilled._

"This place is living history!" her face is alight with awe. "Just look at these walls." She runs her hand across the brick surface. "These are the same bricks that architects laid here ninety years ago." 

The sight of her in her element sends Nicole's stomach tumbling into butterflies, rendering her nearly as giddy as the day she first stepped into Shorty's. 

They pick a rounded booth in the corner, situated in a way that allows a nice view of the building yet discloses them privacy if need be.  

Their meals are hearty and mouthwatering. When the first bite of roasted salmon touches Nicole's tongue, she closes her eyes in relish, barely restraining herself from moaning aloud. The smokey flavor is begging to be complimented by a beer, but she knows neither one of them can afford to completely let their guard down, no matter how isolated they may be from any danger. 

_We didn't come here to get drunk._

Instead, she allows herself to get lost in conversation with the girl opposite her, listening to her recount the events of her day. 

Nicole watches in complete immersion, watching Waverly's blue eyes light up with enthusiasm as she recalls her day of babysitting the littlest Earp, and  _God, what did she do to deserve this girl?_

They stay well after they've finished their meals, and as the night begins to grow longer, the other customers begin to thin out. 

So, I was thinking," she takes threads her fingers into Nicole's hand, "unless you have other plans, we could head back to your place?" 

Waverly nuzzles into her neck, planting a soft kiss under her jaw and slowly trailing down her neck. 

Nicole shivers and chuckles softly, gently pulling away. 

"I appreciate your enthusiasm, but I have a shift very early in the morning. I wouldn't be there when you wake up."

"Then let's make the most of the time we have right now," the brunette's eyebrows raise with mirth. 

The deputy can feel her lips quirking upwards in return, only for them to waver slightly. 

"While that sounds. . .tantalizing," Nicole rests her hand on Waverly's leg, gingerly tracing her fingers along the length of her thigh, "there's something I need to tell-"

"Is there anything else I can get you, ladies?" their waiter clears his throat, approaching them.

Waverly promptly pulls away from Nicole's neck, her cheeks flushed. 

"Oh, ah, no thank you. We're ready for our check, please."

Nicole glances briefly at the man, smiling a bit awkwardly, and digs out her wallet out of her back pocket. 

She's just pulling her card out when she notices him staring, albeit not at her, but Waverly. Her jaw clenches in annoyance, and a ludicrous surge of possession streaks through her. 

She hands it to him, trying to keep her expression neutral.

Waverly's smile falters slightly under his gaze, and she instinctively scoots back a bit towards her girlfriend. "You know actually, I think we would like to split a milkshake."

Nicole can see the gears turning in her mind, trying to find an excuse for him to leave.

The waiter doesn't budge. He tilts his head to the side, lips curling upwards to reveal two rows of straight, pointed teeth. "I'm afraid we don't serve milkshakes, Ms. Earp." 

As soon as he speaks those words, Nicole knows something is wrong. She feels Waverly tense beside her, and she automatically reaches for her glock, only for her hand to find the holster empty. A knot of dread settles nearly instantaneously in the pit of her stomach because of course,  _of course,_  the one night she leaves her gun at the station a situation like this would arise. She has no other weapons, none except-

 _No. That isn't an option._  

Time seems to slow.  

"Run, Waverly." 

* * *

Waverly isn't dumb. 

She knows the threat of revenants is ever-present, and until Wynonna tells her otherwise, the Ghost River Triangle is still has an abundant population of them. But as she watches Nicole throws herself shoulder first into the beast and tell her to run, to leave her to fend for herself, she realizes that she's become too complacent, too comfortable. 

She opens her mouth to protest, to tell her that there's no way in  _hell_  that she'll leave her behind, when she sees a look of desperation so fierce in Nicole's eyes that her words fall short. 

The cop is struggling to keep the man at bay, but she somehow manages to fish her hand into her pocket and toss her keys to Waverly. "Damn it, Waverly, go! NOW. I'll be right behind you."

Waverly catches the keys. "I-I'll call Wynonna!" 

  
And with one last glance at Nicole, she turns heel and runs. 

* * *

Waverly sprints back the way they came, winding through booths and tables until she comes to the staircase that leads above ground. She dashes up them, her footsteps echoing throughout the empty restaurant, and yanks on the the handle of the old wooden door. The handle rattles, but the door doesn't budge.  _Fuck._

Fear is starting to legitimately course through her now, and she turns back into the belly of the building, crouching low when she can behind chairs and tables. She pauses, straining to hear any noise at all that might indicate where the demon is lurking.  

Silence greets her ears. 

Waverly exhales softly, releasing a breath she didn't know she was holding. 

_Maybe she knocked him out. Maybe-_

A hand agilely covers her mouth from behind, muffling her yelp of surprise. 

The brunette spins around only to find Nicole crouching beside her, her index finger raised to her lips. Waverly relaxes instantly, relieved to feel the deputy's touch. 

Nicole smiles softly, then peers over Waverly's head, gesturing with a nod. 

She looks to where the redhead is gazing: hidden on the far side of the bar are glinting, silver countertops.

 _The kitchens._  

Waverly glances back to her girlfriend, nodding. Quietly, they begin to edge across the open expanse of tile, hastening as quickly as they can without increasing the volume of their footsteps.

Silently, they navigate through the empty maze of stoves and fryers, careful not to bump against the occasional pot or pan. They pass beyond a set of charbroilers when Waverly notices a metal door to their right. 

Together they pry it open as quietly as they can, tensing as a gust of snowy air surges inside and rattles a row of hanging saucepans.

"Go, quickly!"

The exit leads them back up to the street level and out into an alley way, on the opposite side of the original entrance. The sky is now completely dark, save for the glow of the moon behind the heavy storm clouds.

Waverly doesn't realize how badly she's shaking until Nicole places her hands on her shoulders.

"Hey, sweetheart, look at me, okay? We're okay. You're okay." She draws Waverly close to her chest, her heart thudding against her ribcage. Relief washes over her so rapidly it almost makes her sick, and she buries her face into Waverly's shoulder.

"I don't understand, how did you get away?" Waverly's brow furrows in confusion.

And suddenly the metal door bursts open, and out charges the waiter, a nasty gash adorning his forehead. 

"You bitch!" he snarls, advancing violently towards them. 

Instinctively, Nicole steps in front of Waverly. She looks around desperately, finding nothing in the empty alleyway. Her eyes focus on the path beyond the revenant's loathing stare. It's about thirty feet to the open street, and maybe half a block back to the car. A reasonably short distance if they were to sprint, but with the massive man blocking the narrow exit, it's undeniably impossible.  

"All I want is the Earp girl," the revenant speaks again, this time calmer. He stops in front of them, about a meter away. 

"Why?" Waverly steps around Nicole, brushing against her outstretched arm. "My sister is the heir. I'm virtually harmless to you."

"If anything were to. . .befall. . .Wynonna, the line of succession would fall to you,  _not_ ," he catches sight of her puzzled expression, "her spawn. At least until it comes of age. Although, now that you mention it, perhaps it would be better to knock the brat out of the way first." His lips curl up in a sneer, revealing pointed white teeth. 

Nicole can almost hear something snap inside of Waverly, and she reaches for her hand out of impulse, pulling her back. When she looks at her face, raw fury glares back at her through hazel lenses. 

"If you want the baby you'll have to go through us," the brunette spits, "not to mention two viciously protective fathers, who, if I were you, I'd avoid like the plague." 

She can see the gears turning in the man's head at the prospect of combating the dragon and immortal gunslinger. He gives her a tight lipped smile. "No. I suppose you'll have to do."

With incredible speed, he makes a grab for Waverly's scarf. 

The cloth barely has time to constrict around her neck before the tension is lifted. Waverly digs her nails underneath the fabric, prying it away from her larynx and fighting off a sensation of deja vu. Her eyes snap up, searching for why the demon lessened his grip. She stills. 

Nicole has the man by the throat. It's almost too easy, the way she lifts and slams him against the brick wall. She watches in horror, Nicole's arm not emitting even the tiniest shudder as the man struggles against her, feet dangling helplessly. He coughs violently, eyes beginning to glow red. 

"You will not lay a hand on her, do you understand me?"

He looks at her, teeth bared. "What are you?"

The redhead doesn't answer, but her grasp tightens and her eyes harden. The jade ring shudders, before bursting into a shower of tiny fragments.

And as the light spills forth from Nicole's mouth, Waverly can almost feel the world shatter. 

* * *

She's blinded for more seconds than she can count, a high pitched trill ringing in her ears. She blinks thoroughly, shaking her head and trying to recover her sight, her hearing,  _anything_. She squints, shielding her eyes with her forearm, and scoots back against the alley wall. 

The first thing she sees, or rather feels, is a soft tickling against her face. Waverly shies away from it, the silky matter making her nose itch, and strains to catch a glimpse of it. Slowly, her eyes adjust, and her eyes widen. 

A feather the length of her forearm sways gently in front of her face, followed by countless others. Waverly swallows, and gradually shifts her gaze upwards. 

Two wings arch smoothly back, displaying their breathtaking gold plumage. 

Waverly opens her mouth to cry out when something flickers out of the corner of her eye. She tears her gaze away from the wings only to see three more unfurl, though this time slightly smaller and more saturated in color. 

The only thing that shakes her from her gaze is when the revenant snarls yet again, and Waverly comes crashing down into reality. "Nicole?" Her voice comes out as a hoarse whisper. 

The being shifts slightly, never relinquishing it's hold on the man's neck. It turns around to face her, and though white light is pouring from it's mouth and eyes, Waverly can still recognize the deputy's face. A stricken look passes across it. 

"Baby. . ."

A soft wheeze emits from the revenant, his face beginning to turn an ashy gray. The crimson glow of his eyes land on Waverly, and he snickers with the last of his strength, his lips parting for one last utterance. 

"All for a fucking human?"

Simultaneously, each Nicole's wings expand, stretching until the muscles in her back tremble, and with six powerful beats, all come crashing down. The demon's legs buckle underneath him, and he slumps to the ground, frailly clawing at the cracks in the road as his body is dragged into hell. 

The gale of wind induced by her wings is enough to extinguish the circle of flames writhing on the asphalt, and when the last seam in the ground mends, she slumps against the wall, exhausted. Gradually, the light fades from her eyes, and she blinks, blearily regaining her sight. She feels a cool pat against her cheek, and she lifts her head. 

A light flurry has begun to fall, leaving a soft blanket of flakes on everything in it's wake.

"Waverly." she says at last. It's all she  _can_  say. A thousand things run through her mind, each justification seeming fickler than the last. 

The words fall upon silence, leaving nothing but an empty alley and six broken wings. 


	2. just breathe

_One year ago. . ._  
  
_"Look, I know you need space and I really tried to stay away but I got worried," Nicole paced around the makeshift pile of metal. "A-and there's signs of struggle in the house. Waverly, what the hell is this thing?"_  
  
_She picked up a steel tumbler in confusion, desperately trying to wrap her head around the situation._  
  
_"Stop. STOP!" Waverly's shout startled her. She dropped the tumbler, throwing her hands up in defeat._  
  
_"Are you kidding?" Nicole looked in disbelief as Waverly snatched the lid from her hands and set it back onto the sculpture. "There is a thunder snowstorm coming and this thing is gonna attract lightning like crazy. The whole barn could go up in flames!"_  
  
_Waverly gasped, withdrawing from the metal as though it burned her. She covered her mouth with her hand, tears flooding her eyes._  
  
_"Baby? Baby what is it?" Nicole's anger crumbled at the sight of her girlfriend's distraught features. She stepped around the frame and immediately wrapped her arms around the smaller woman, rubbing soothing circles into her back._  
  
_"It's Wynonna. She's possessed," Waverly's voice shifted, devoid of any trembles._  
  
_Nicole narrowed her eyes at the shift of pitch, hands paused at the small of Waverly's back._  
  
_"Did she hurt you?"_  
  
_The brunette leaned into her embrace, sobs returning at an unusual speed. "Yeah."_  
  
_Nicole's head was spinning. Surely she would have noticed if the elder Earp displayed signs of possession. Not that it mattered now.  "Where is she? The Homestead?" She stepped in front of Waverly, cocking her Glock._  
  
_"You'll need to shoot her."_  
  
_A chill ran down Nicole's spine, reverberating across her shoulder blades and phantom tickling at her absent wings. Her heart plummeted into her stomach, and she whipped around to face the youngest Earp. "My Waverly would never ask me to do that."_

_A sneer cut across Waverly's face. "Oops. You caught me." She blinked, revealing glassy, black pools._

_"What are you?" Nicole growls softly, raising her gun in front of her._

_The thing tilted its head, a pout forming on Waverly's mouth. "Don't tell me you've forgotten me, sister." It took a step forward and examined the ring on Nicole's hand. "Clever. You always were a smart little thing. Or at least Father thought so."_

_"Mikshun." Nicole snarled. "You are supposed to be-"_

_"Dead? Cast down?" An unsettling chuckle sounded from Waverly's chest. "Let's just say that our dearest older brother had different plans."  The demon caressed Nicole's shoulder, trailing it's fingers down her arm. "Look at you. The human body really suits you."_

_"You will remove yourself from Waverly's body," Nicole could feel her eyes begin to burn, and hints of white light tinged the corners of her vision. "You_ will _leave the Earps and the Ghost River Triangle alone. I command it."  She could feel her voice falter as her ring shuddered._

_"You're authority will have no effect as long as you're wearing that," Mikshun gestured at the green band. "Is it uncomfortable, keeping your true form hidden like that?"_

_"I suppose you'd like to know. I hear demons never fully recover from the loss of their wings."  Nicole tightened her grip on her firearm, stepping back a pace._

_Mikshun's smile turned into a scowl. "Perhaps not. But there are so many other wondrous powers to explore without them." Waverly moved back around to the metal tower and wrapped her hands around two of the silver beams. "Join me, Nicole."_

_Nicole glanced around desperately, searching for something,_ anything _, that could help her. She swallowed, for the first time considering removing the band on her ring finger._

_"You'll kill her if you try to expel me from her body," the demon seemed to read Nicole's thought process and reached out a hand. "Come home, Nicole. There are so many just dying to see you._

 

Nicole shudders at the memory. God, she had been so naive. If Wynonna had burst into the barn a moment later. . .

Her hand trembles as she threads the needle through her skin and bites her cheek to keep from crying out. The first stitches are the most difficult. Nicole threads them painfully, trying her hardest to keep them even. She could have gone to a doctor, but an explanation for the six lacerations scarring her back and ribs is just not something she can conjure up right now. 

She grits her teeth as she ties off the end of the twine. They're not perfect, but it'll have to do. Lord knows she's not getting help anywhere else. 

She sets the bottle of rubbing alcohol and needle on the kitchen table and rubs her forehead. Her phone buzzes and Nicole's stomach leaps. She snatches it quickly only to droop in disappointment when she sees it's not Waverly. A lump forms in the redhead's throat. She scrolls through her contacts until she reaches the end of the list. Her thumb hovers over the icon of the dazzling brunette.

They haven't spoken since that night, since Nicole turned tail in shame and left Waverly alone in the snow. Nicole swallows and presses the little green phone icon, waiting in apprehension. She holds her breath, counting each ring.  
  
"Hi, you've reached Waverly Earp! I can't come to the phone right now, so leave a message after the beep!"

* * *

  
  
"Hi, it's me. Can we speak?"  
  
The voicemail is short and to the point.   
  
Waverly wishes she would scream, demand why she hasn't tried to call or text her, anything. But the voice doesn't.   
  
Nicole sounds tired. Broken, even.   
  
"I love you. Call me back."  
  
_I have never loved anyone the way that I love you._  
  
She clenches her jaw and deletes the message, tears threatening to spill down her cheeks.   
  
No. Nicole doesn't deserve her tears. Not anymore. 

* * *

  
It takes her a while to get back involved with Black Badge. It's only at the prompting of Wynonna that she even leaves the homestead.   
  
"Dude," her sister grumbles, opening the door to Waverly's bedroom. "You need to march your ass out of bed and resolve whatever fight you and Nicole had. Today!" She shifts Alice from one hip to the other. "We need you, Waverly. We've given you plenty of space. Now it's time to get back on your horse and be the agent we know and love." The toddler coos as if to agree with her mother.   
  
Waverly gives her niece a pained smile. "You don't know what went down, Wynonna. I don't know if we can fix it this time."  
  
Wynonna frowns, and walks over to the edge of Waverly's bed. She plops down beside her sister, drawing her into a one armed hug.   
  
"Hey," she remarks softly. "If it's that bad, I won't force you."   
  
Waverly leans into Wynonna's touch and threads her fingers through Alice's short locks.   
  
"But we really do need you back, baby girl. Black Badge is nothing without your beautiful brain," Wynonna smiles softly, rubbing circles into Waverly's back. "Plus, there's a recent werewolf case that has your name written all over it."  
  
Waverly's shoulders slump at the thought of entering the station. But werewolves do sound interesting. . .  
  
"Fine."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ask me questions or leave suggestions over at closethartbig.tumblr.com

**Author's Note:**

> The idea of Nicole being a literal angel came to me after a saw a gifset on tumblr that was centered around Nicole's ring that she wears almost every episode in season one. So, is there a reason she wears it 24/7? Why do we never see her without it? Is it somehow concealing her true form? My suspicions only became greater after episode 8, "Two Faced Jack" when Jack tells her "you're the wrong kind" and kidnaps Wynonna instead. It got me thinking, is she 'the wrong kind' because she's not actually human at all? I've seen similar theories floating around that Nicole isn't 100% human, a werewolf theory being a particularly popular one. But I think this would be hella cooler, especially since the show focuses so intently on revenants and hell, and not so much the flip side.
> 
> If you want to see all of my sources/theory stuff in one place, you can go to my tumblr (closethartbig.tumblr.com/tagged/vacant_light). 
> 
> Should I continue this fic? I'm not quite sure yet how I want this to play out if I decide to write more chapters.


End file.
